Lifesaving jacket



Nov. 27, 1945. H, G MORNER l l 2,389,735

LIFE sAvING JACKET Filed March 15, 1944 IN VEN TOR.

Patented Nov. 27, 1945 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE LIFESAVING JACKET Hans George Morner, New York, N. Y. Application March 15, 1944, Serial No. 526,517

3 Claims.

The present invention relates to new and useful improvements in lifesaving jackets and parts thereof.

Objects and advantages of the invention will be set forth in part hereinafter and in part will be obvious herefrom, or may be learned by practice with the invention, the same being realized and attained by means of the instrumentalities and combinations pointed out in the appended l claims.

The invention consists in the novel parts, constructions, arrangements, combinations and improvements herein shown and described.

The accompanying drawing, referred to herein and constituting a part hereof, illustrates one embodiment of the invention, and together with the description, serves to explain the principles of the invention.

Of the drawing:

Figure 1 is a front elevation in perspective, with parts broken away, of atypical and illustrative embodiment of the invention;

Figure 2 is a similar view of the back of the vest shown in Figure 1;

Figure 3 is a sectional view taken on the line 3 3 of Figure 1;

Figure 4 is a perspective view, with parts shown in section, of flotation member used in the illustrated embodiment; and

Figure 5 is a sectional view of the parts shown in Figure 4 under the compression of Water.

The present invention has for its object the provision of a novel and improved lifesaving jacket which is relatively simple, more durable and more sanitary than the usual jackets filled with kapok or the like. A further object is the provision of a life jacket which is relatively light in weight, of high flotation for its bulk, is always ready for instant use and is not likely to be seriously damaged in use or storage. The iiotation members of the present invention are easily fabricated, are durable, not easily subject to serious damage, as are inflatable members, and can be made in large quantities from available materials and give extremely good flotation for a relatively small volume, at the same time being highly flexible so that it conforms easily to the body of the wearer. The jacket of the present invention is not subject to dangerous absorption of water, as are kapok jackets, particularly jackets filled with any except the highest, and now unobtainable, quality of kapok.

In accordance with the present invention there is provided a jacket, to be worn as a vest about the wearer, having inserted flotation members at the front and back, which flotation vmembers are preferably in the form of closely adjacent, Aalmost, contiguous, hollow, intertting prisms formed of waterproof, airtight, flexible material, such as rubber, which are bound together, preferably by an intermediate fabricllayer to provide individual, non-communicating cells which are filled with air, under normal atmospheric pressure. By reason of the close adjacency ofthe intertting prisms, which arepreferably cubes, the adjacent sides of the several prisms support each other against substantial collapsing when the wearer is immersed in water, as pending a rescue. These inserts are positioned on the front and back of the wearer so that the larger part of them are immobilized by the vest or jacket at the front of the wearer, thereby insuring that he will oat with his mouth out of water.

It will be understood that the foregoing general description and the following detailed description as well are exemplary and explanatory of the inl vention but are not restrictive thereof.

TheV life jacket of the present invention preferably consists of an inner and outer layer of fabric, e. g., heavy cotton such as twill layers I0 and II which are cut and sewn to encircle and t loosely on the body of the wearer, having armholes I3 and a neck portion I4, the front of the jacket being provided with attached tapes I5 which may be tied together to secure the jacket to the person after it has been donned.

Down each of the front panels of the jacket and secured between the inner and outer layers I0, I I thereof are flotation members I9 which can be easily removed by removing vthe stitching around the edges of the layers, thereby freeing the members so that they may be replaced or the layers may be washed.

Each of the front notation members I9 comprises a large number of individually partitioned, or non-communicating cells 20, which are intertting and of prismatic shape, having their side walls 2l in close adjacency and preferably almost contiguous. As shown, there are provided fifteen full cells 20 and, two partial cells 20 in each member I9, the cells adjacent to the neck portion of the wearer being reduced to conform somewhat to the neckline of the vest or jacket.

At the back of the wearer is similarly mounted a smaller construction providing a smaller otation member 23 which is secured between the layers of the jacket by the side seams 22.

As shown in Figures 4 and 5 each of the otation members I9 and 23 is preferably formed of an intermediate strong web of fabric 25 on each side of which is cemeted or otherwise secured a member comprising a plurality of closely adjacent, intertting semi-cubes 21 having between their side walls a narrow margin 28 by which they may be cemented to the central web 25, which is preferably impervious thus forming a large number of individual cells, any one of which can be punctured without substantially affecting the over-all otation of the jacket. Furthermore, small punctures rarely cause the punctured cell to lose allu its buoyancy." The members' 21 maybe integrally molded to provide "the Various 'semicubical cavities, with the margins 28 of relatively narrow width, so that as shown in Figure 5, the walls 2| press against each other when subjected to the water pressure exerted by the water on the outer canvas layer I0, therebysupprting the several side walls 2l and providing greater flotation The marginal portions 28 also permit extreme .flexibility ,of the notation lWernberg SQ ,that the imply @esili aeldiomoreblr ,tio .the were; 'the' wearer @'r'ldfdde not fs'eiorzsiy inner,-

1 ,Provide 11.0.11-

flexible, oil resistant material, such as synthetic rubber, so that they are not damaged by ordinary wear on board ships, as is frequently necessary for long periods of time.

The flotation elements, in other sizes are of great usefulness, such as forming the flotation members for rafts or the lling member of a pillow or mattress.

The invention in its broader aspects is not limited to the specific mechanisms shown and described but departures'may be'made therefrom within the' scope of the accompanying claims without departing from the principles of the invention and without sacrificing its chief advantages.

""What I claim is:

l; A life jacket for flotation of a person including a plurality of flotation members forming part ofa"garm1t to worn by a person, each flotation ne'inber comprising a plurality of closed hol- 10W, primarie members filled with air .under nor- ,rreure ciqslyad' tent anw interni-ring -'relation 'with each other wh'e'reb'y substantial delection of -the adjacent side walls is avoided.

2,. yir-iilled'merrilyer] comprising a plurality Qf "h91l0W. ,Y ',QSd pf fatic meribe hailigdlli.- ble walls 'with ,their Sides positioned clsely adiecent eacliother'wher'eby deflection' ofthe Side .walls isy mini. Cdl -said members"havrlgy marginal portions extending between' their l'side' walls whereby they are flexibly 7ccnnected and closed to prende rrerlcomnuhbeti'nfg flotation' @6115i 3. An @irlled member ccmprising a plurality .or miler; clpsvedp'rismfitic members hevmgflxile i1/e115 with'their sides positind Closely" adiacent ea h" o ther vwl-llejreby deection o f the 'side walls 'iis minimized, said'membershavmg marge nal portions extending between 'theirside' walls whereby they are ilexibly connected ,and clo'se'ri to cerrnnunicetng fleetien'blis" .andan 0.11.5 .D extending" fnlirug'hL all'lofaid members and to whiz;L aid members are sauren lunl 

